What Is Killing Off Kazakhstan's Rare Antelope? What Is Killing Off Kazakhstan's Rare Antelope? May 20, 2015 PHOTO GALLERY: The Sad Story of the Saiga (click on arrows bottom right to enlarge) Share Email to a Friend Print Herds of one of Central Asia's most iconic animals, Kazakhstan's saiga antelope, are dwindling rapidly and no one seems to know why. The Kazakh Department for Emergency Situations says more than 19,000 saiga carcasses have now been buried in the country's Qostanai region, though unofficial reports on May 20 suggested the number of dead animals may already exceed 30,000. "It's shaping up to be a complete catastrophe," says E.J. Milner-Gulland, a U.K.-based academic who heads the Saiga Conservation Alliance, a network of conservationists working to study and protect the antelope. "I'm afraid the animals are still dying and we are not actually getting a final number yet," she adds.

"I'm expecting that number to go up quite substantially in the coming days." The saiga, with its distinctive bulging eyes, tubular snout, and spiraled horn, is as distinctive as it is endangered. The Saiga Conservation Alliance puts the total number of individual animals in Central Asia at around 260,000, including 200,000 in west-central Kazakhstan, the largest population. The 30,000 figure already represents the biggest die-off of the species in recent memory. Senior officials with Kazakhstan's Agriculture Ministry and the regional governor visited the area this week to coordinate a response. So far, they're baffled by what's causing the deaths. Officials say the carcasses bear no wounds or other signs of trauma that would indicate mass poaching -- a problem in past efforts to maintain healthy saiga populations. Instead, they say the culprit is likely the Pasteurella bacteria -- a naturally occurring bacteria that is carried in animals' mouths and nasal passages. It's the most amazing and beautiful creature. When you see it kind of flying across the steppes in huge herds, it's just the most beautiful thing." -- E.J.

Milner-Gulland of the Saiga Conservation Alliance Milner-Gulland says that while the proximate cause of death may indeed be Pasteurella, that's probably not the whole story. Pasteurella normally kills only weaker animals that have already been stressed or sickened by something else. "The fact that you are getting positive reports of Pasteurella doesn't mean the bacterium is the underlying reason the animals are dying," she says. "[The bacteria] is there naturally and it's a kind of opportunistic." Milner-Gulland is reluctant to speculate on the cause of death but says current evidence points to a highly infectious disease of some kind. That explanation is not likely to satisfy activists like Musaghali Duambekov of the Kazakh-based environmental movement Anti-Heptyl, a reference to compounds used in rocket fuel. His group traces many of the country's environmental problems to the highly toxic fuels used by Russian rockets launched from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome. "I think the authorities [in Kazakhstan] are hiding the real causes of the loss of the large numbers of saiga antelope every year," he says.

"As an active member of the Anti-Heptyl movement, which has been against the [Russian] Proton rocket launches, I think the situation, among other things, is connected to the rockets, as large parts of Kazakhstan are being affected by poisonous elements on a regular basis," Duambekov says. Several Russian Proton-M rockets in recent years have exploded over Kazakhstan after lifting off from Baikonur, sparking concerns among local residents and environmental activists. While it's unclear to what extent environmental poisons like heptyl compounds might be harming animal populations, international experts say that's probably not what's killing off the saiga. "I think there is no evidence to that at all," says Milner-Gulland. "We'll get toxicology reports from the environmental sampling that's being taken, and that will help us to understand one way or the other." She points out that if antelope mortality continues to spread, it will make the environmental-poisoning theory that much more untenable. Whatever is killing off the saiga, the loss is devastating -- and not only to the species and the environment. The saiga is a living symbol of Central Asian culture. "It's the most amazing and beautiful creature," says Milner-Gulland.

"When you see it kind of flying across the steppes in huge herds, it's just the most beautiful thing." The saiga has been the victim of several mass die-offs over the years, reaching near-extinction levels in the 1920s and again in 2003 due to poaching and over-hunting. At one point in 2003, the number of live animals fell to just 21,000. The irony is that the most recent die-off comes just as the species was starting to recover as poaching incidents were slowing. One source of hope is that the saiga has the capacity to rebound quickly from mass-mortality events. The females give birth fairly rapidly and are fertile from just 1 year of age. "It's an extraordinary species," Milner-Gulland says. "Because it lives in a really harsh environment, where you have really cold winters and drought condition, it has a natural ability to rebound." While Kazakhstan has the largest surviving saiga population, other significant populations are found in Mongolia and Russia's Kalmykia Republic.

Most Popular Bizarre Beasts With Unidan: The Saiga Antelope – Upvoted Fresh Unidan, AKA Ben Eisenkop, is an ecosystem ecologist who first rose to fame (infamy?) on Reddit by popping up in posts across the site, answering any queries and concepts pertaining to biology and ecology. Eisenkop will be a columnist for Upvoted, where he’ll be spotlighting a new creature every week. Today’s bizarre beast comes to us from the Eurasian steppe, an area that runs from Moldavia to Siberia. Steppes are large grassland areas that typically have very few trees, but have enough precipitation to be too wet to be considered a desert. They are often vast regions with nearly endless vegetation. For those who may not make it outside much, you can imagine the Dothraki Sea in Game of Thrones. That’s a steppe. Who lives there? Well, the Saiga antelope, of course! The Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) stands a little under three feet tall at the shoulder and weighs around 100 lbs and while it is called an antelope, its evolutionary history actually places it as sort of an intermediary species between antelopes and sheep.

CC BY-SA 3.0/Seilov While everything else seems pretty normal, what puts these guys in the “bizarre” category is pretty obvious: the hooves. Just kidding—it’s the nose. Obviously. It’s obviously the nose. It’s the nose, guys. Well, now that we’ve addressed the elephant (-like proboscis) in the room, let’s talk about what it’s for! The Saiga antelope’s nose is actually flexible, meaning it can be moved around voluntarily by the animal. Saiga antelopes can actually inflate their noses, giving it a lot more internal room. Why? Well, the steppe might be close to a desert, but, like many deserts, it can get cold. For example, many Saiga antelope live in Kazahkstan, where winter temperatures might hover around -25 °C (-13 °F), and in other areas in the steppe, could drop as low as -50 °C (-58 °F). To get around temperatures that are lower than the average household freezer, Saiga antelopes will pre-warm their area in their large proboscis before breathing it in.

Conversely, when temperatures are very hot, the nose acts as a filter to block out kicked up dust particles and as an area of large surface area to allow cooling of their bodies through typical breathing much greater than those without the enlarged appendage. On a sadder note, Saiga antelope make it in the “bizarre” category for something that is not entirely their fault. In recent years, more than half of all Saiga antelope suddenly and mysteriously died from a bacterial infection that seemingly came out of the blue. With more than 120,000 Saiga antelope falling dead from the disease, scientists came together to try to find the cause. Only this past November was a consensus built at a scientific conference in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where it was claimed that a combination of particularly stormy weather and ongoing climate change was able to turn a typically commensal (i.e. present, but harmless) bacteria on the Saiga, Pasteurella multocida, into the deadly infection referred to as Pasteurellosis, causing the antelope to drop dead within days. Since Saiga antelope are critically endangered, scientists are attempting to conserve them as best they can.

If you’re interested in helping out the effort, please take a minute to visit the Saiga Conservation Alliance and even consider a donation! The Mathisen Corollary: Set-beast and Saiga Antelope Tuesday, October 16, 2012 Set-beast and Saiga Antelope The previous post, entitled " That's not an elk -- it's a Set-beast! " discussed the evidence which suggests that the recently-discovered geoglyph near Lake Zyuratkul in the Urals in Russia may not depict an elk at all but rather a creature known to historians as a "Set-beast" (because the ancient Egyptian god Set or Seth is often depicted with the head of a creature that, unlike most other Egyptian deities, does not seem to be an actual terrestrial animal but a sort of anteater-like creature with tall rectangular protrusions on its head). However, the astute Mr. TRB of California wrote to me soon after that post was published to point out the animal pictured above -- the Saiga Antelope, which bears a more-than-passing resemblance to both the Russian geoglyph and the distinctive Set-beast!

This could be an important connection and one which could earn him a PhD if he were to pursue it (or another PhD, if he already has one or more). Perhaps the Saiga Antelope, a critically endangered species today but one which once roamed from the British Isles to the Bering Strait and even into Alaska and what is now the Yukon, was the inspiration for the geoglyph -- and perhaps there is a connection to the Egyptian god Set as well. I have argued, following Jane B. Sellers, that the distinctive shape of the Set-beast may derive from a celestial source -- the constellation Lepus, located beneath the feet of Orion (a constellation closely associated with Osiris and hence with Set as well). Jane Sellers presents convincing evidence that Set was associated with the adze-shaped stars of Taurus, which are above Orion and eventually (through precession ), "usurped his throne." The Memphite Theology relates how the Nine Gods ruled in judgement after this event and placed Set below Osiris instead of above him.

However, there is no reason to believe that the stars of Lepus (which are easily found beneath Orion, and quite visible this time of year, particularly after midnight and in the hours leading up to the dawn) could not have suggested the head of the Saiga Antelope to the ancients, which means that there could be a relationship between Lepus, Set, and this distinctive beast, which has a most unusual proboscis (see images below). At this point, however, some readers may be wondering why we need to bring Lepus or Set into the picture at all, now that we have identified an actual terrestrial animal that could have served as the model for the Russian geoglyph. It is possible, of course, that the geoglyph has no celestial significance at all, but I doubt it, for the simple reason that it is located among numerous other ancient monuments which clearly have celestial connections. Not far from Lake Zyuratkul, where the "new" geoglyph was found, is Lake Turgoyak, home of six islands, the largest of which is called Vera Island or the Island of St. Vera.

Vera Island is dotted with an extensive array of dolmens, menhirs, and stone chambers. Saiga Antelope | WWF Wrasse - Humphead Saiga antelope The saiga antelope is a major player in one of the most spectacular animal migrations. It faces an uncertain future due to hunting and loss of habitat. Subscribe to WWF Saiga, Mongolian Saiga, Saiga Antelope Scientific Name Saiga tatarica, Saiga tatarica mongolica Status A species facing extinction A distinctive bulbous nose makes the saiga an unlikely pin-up for the conservation movement. Habitat loss and illegal hunting have dramatically cut population numbers. Physical description The large humped nose hangs over the mouth of the saiga. The nose is flexible and inflatable so helps it to breathe clean air during dusty summers and warm air during cold winters. Its coat is sparse and cinnamon coloured during the summers, turning to a very thick white coat during the winters. Saiga antelope has long, thin legs but is similar in size to a sheep.

Weight: 30 - 50kg (males) and 21 - 40kg (females) Shoulder height: 60 - 80cm, males are usually taller than females. Length: 108 - 150cm Social structure Saiga form herds of 30-40 animals. However, during the migration season tens of thousands of saiga will travel together, forming part of one of the most spectacular migrations in the world. Lifespan Gestation period is 140-150 days, with litter size 1-2. Diet Grasses, steppe lichens, herbs and shrubs. Population The fall in saiga antelope populations has been dramatic. In the early 1990s numbers were over a million, but are now estimated to be around 50,000. The Mongolian sub-species (Saiga tatarica mongolica) is particularly at risk with an estimated population of just 750. Saiga antelope is a priority species . WWF treats priority species as one of the most ecologically, economically and/or culturally important species on our planet.

And so we are working to ensure such species can live and thrive in their natural habitats. A baby saiga Temperate grasslands, savannahs, shrublands; Montane grasslands, shrublands; Deserts and xeric shrublands What are the threats to the saiga? Hunting The break up of the former USSR led to uncontrolled hunting. Increased rural poverty means the saiga is hunted for its meat. Demand for the horn used in traditional Chinese medicine skewed the sex ratio so dramatically leading to a catastrophic drop in birth rates. Habitat loss The saiga has also had to face increased competition for grazing grounds from other species as natural habitat is claimed for agricultural use. A hard time recovering Severe winters followed by summer droughts in recent years have also made it difficult for the population to recover. Saiga populations have declined due to poaching for the illegal trade in their horns. Traditional Chinese medecine market in Sichuan Province, China. © WWF / John E Newby What is WWF doing? Since 1994 WWF has been involved in the conservation and management of the saiga antelope.

This has taken the form of a variety of actions, including: Bizarre looking creatures that actually live on our planet : theCHIVE 1 Chinese Water Deer Chinese Water Deer have earned the nickname “Vampire Deer” for their prominent tusks, which are used in territorial battles. 2 Ankole-Watusi Ankole longhorns and their massive horns have survived in Africa for thousands of years. Their horns are used in defense and cooling and can weigh up to 100 pounds each and reach 8 feet from tip to tip. 3 Panda Ant This fluffy creature with panda markings is actually a type of wingless wasp from South America. It has only been spotted a handful of times but it is known to have a potent sting. 4 Saiga Antelope The saiga is a critically endangered antelope that inhabits the Eurasian steppe, including Dzungaria and Mongolia. Its strange nose is extremely flexible and helps to filter out dust kicked up by the migrating herd. 5 6 Sarcastic Fringeheads While the name would have you think otherwise, these fish are far more vicious than they are sarcastic.

Found in the waters off the West Coast of America, fringeheads can grow 12 inches long and have eerily large mouths, which they press up against each others to assert authority. 7 Blobfish Deep in the waters off the coast of Australia and Tasmania is the ‘unique’ blobfish. The flesh of a blobfish is a gelatinous mass that’s less dense than water, giving the fish its unique look, and allowing it to float above the seafloor without swimming. 8 Ring-tailed Cat Ring-tailed cats are a member of the raccoon family, native only to arid regions of North America. The ringtail is said to be so easy to domesticate that miners and settlers once kept them in their cabins as companions and vermin hunters, earning the name “miner’s cat.” 9 Red-Lipped Batfish Batfish are found in the waters around the Galapagos Islands, but are terrible swimmers. Instead, the fish have learned to walk the ocean floor on their fins. 10 Irrawaddy Dolphin Irrawaddy dolphins are found in coastal areas in South and Southeast Asia. These animals are known for their bulging forehead and short beak, giving them a far stranger appearance than other dolphins.

Advertisement 12 Lowland Streaked Tenrec Found only in the rainforests of Madagascar, this strange creature is somewhat similar to a porcupine. The barbs on the animal’s back act as both a defensive measure and a complex communication system. The quills produce a faint chattering sound when vibrated and families learn to talk through this sound. 13 Frilled shark In the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans this prehistoric beast boasts 300 trident-shaped teeth, aligned in 25 rows to rip through any prey. Scientists also believe that the frilled shark breaks the record for gestation periods amongst sharks, taking three and a half years to give birth. 14 Enypniastes Enypniastes is a deep sea cucumber which leaves nothing to the imagination and lives at depths of up to 16,400 feet. The red area is the animal’s mouth. Around it are tentacles, which scoop up edible mud from the seafloor. From there, it enters the creatures gut. 15 Eastern Long-Necked Turtle These turtles with a rather literal name can be found throughout Australia.

Their remarkable necks can reach the same length as their shells, or around 10 inches. Advertisement 16 Bergamasco Shepherd These herding dogs were bred for the freezing Alps and have evolved to possess thick dreaded coats. 17 Mantis Shrimp The colorful mantis shrimp spends most of its life tucked away in burrows and holes. Ancient Assyrians referred to the creatures as “sea locustus”, while more recently they have been called “prawn killers” and “thumb splitters,” because of their extremely powerful claws. The shrimp is capable of breaking through aquariums by moving at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. 18 Gharials These 20 foot long lizards weigh in at 350 pounds and used to dominate all major river systems, where their long, thin jaws proved adept at hunting and eating fish. Overfishing by humans has seen these reptiles reduced to 2% of their former strength. 19 Chrysopelea (The Flying Snake) In what is many people’s worst nightmare, this serpent climbs trees and then jumps down. By flattening its body and flaring out its ribs, the snake can glide through the air.

20 Snub Nosed Monkey David Attenborough once remarked that these marvelous monkeys look like “elves” and others like “plastic surgery gone too far.” Found in Asia, at heights of up to 13,000 feet, these primates with a short stump of a nose are rarely spotted. Personally, I think they look like the knight at the end of ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.’ He chose…poorly. 21 Japanese Spider Crab This arthropod can reach heights of 12 feet tall and weigh up to 42 pounds, all while moving like a spider. The crabs are only found in the waters off the island of Honshū. 22 Gerenuk Gerenuk comes from the Somali language and means “giraffe-necked.” To feed from taller branches, gerenuks will stand on their hind legs. 23 Pyura Chilensis (The Living Rock) It can be difficult to believe, but these “rocks” are living, breathing organisms. Their appearance allows them to blend into Chilean beaches and avoid predators. Interestingly, these creatures have both male and female organs and can breed individually.

24 25 Goblin Shark The terrifying goblin shark measures between 8 and 13 feet and was first discovered in 1898. Referred to as a ‘living fossil,’ these terrifying animals are the only surviving member of a 125 million year-old family. Advertisement 26 Bearded Vulture These beautiful birds inhabit Everest, the Himalayas and other mountainous regions in Europe and Asia. They were nearly eradicated because people used to fear that bearded vultures would attack lambs and children. There are now only estimated to be 10,000 left. 27 Surinam Toad Native to South America, the leaf-like appearance of the surinam is a natural defense against predators. The toads have a unique breeding method, where the male plants fertilized eggs into the back of the female who carries them until they emerge from pockets in her skin. 28 Glaucus Atlanticus Called the “blue dragon”, this fantastical creature is actually a one inch long sea slug. Commonly found off the East and South Coast of South Africa and Australia, divers should beware the powerful sting of this beast.

29 Leaf-Tailed Gecko The leaf-tailed gecko is a master of disguise found in Madagascar. With a leaf-shaped tail, it can blend into dense jungle. 30 Dumbo Octopus The ear-like fins of this octopus have earned it the name “Dumbo.” The octopus lives at extreme depths of 10,000 to 11,000 feet, searching for worms and other crustaceans at the seafloor. Advertisement 32 Gobi Jerboa The Gobi Jerboa is a species of rodents found in China and Mongolia. Jerboas have kangaroo-like hind legs which make the creature an amazing runner and jumper. Along with disproportionately large ears and tails, which enhance hearing and balance. 33 Yeti Crab Only recently discovered in 2005, not much is known about this hairy crustacean found in the South Pacific Ocean except that it is quite creepy looking. 34 Pacu Fish The Pacu Fish, native to South America, is nicknamed the “ball cutter” by local male fishermen, who fear swimming in the water because of the animals human-like smile.

35 Star-Nosed Mole Native to North America are these strange moles with alien-like tentacles on their noses. Living most of their lives underground, these animals are a rare sight to humans as well as mostly blind. Their tentacles give them an extremely good sense of touch and can also detect the minute electrical fields given off by their prey. Advertisement 36 Aye-aye The aye-aye is a nocturnal lemur native only to Madagascar. The creature has rodent-like teeth which it uses to chew small holes into trees and then uses its narrow fingers to pull grubs out. 10 strange animals from around the world | Fox News 10 strange animals from around the world By Brittany Jones Cooper Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Email Print Nothing makes tourists whip out their cameras faster than seeing an animal on vacation. Whether searching for the big five on an African safari or combing the beach for sea lions in the Galápagos, getting up close and personal with our furry friends is always a highlight. But what if we told you that lions, tigers, and bears (oh, my) were just scratching the surface?

What if we told you that in some parts of the world, there are creatures so odd and rare that many people don’t even know they exist? Here is a list of some of the strangest animals around the world. 1. Glowing sea turtle iStock Just last week, divers in the Solomon Islands discovered a glowing sea turtle under the waves. While other animals are known to be bioluminescent, this is the first documented case of a glowing reptile in the wild. According to diver David Gruber, an associate professor of biology at Baruch College, the hawksbill sea turtle’s shell glowed both red and green, but it’s likely that the red came from biofluorescent algae. “It could be a way for them to communicate, for them to see each other better, [or] to blend into the reefs,” which are also biofluorescent, Gruber told Live Science. “It adds visual texture into the world that’s primarily blue. 2. Pangolin iStock If an anteater and an armadillo had a baby, it might look something like the pangolin, an odd-looking mammal found throughout parts of Asia and Africa.

The pangolin has a long, specially adapted tongue for eating ants and termites and wears a protective keratin shell — it is the only mammal known to have this adaptation. Sadly, its unique characteristics also make it the most trafficked mammal in the world, as it is highly sought-after for its meat and armor. The pangolin is currently listed as a threatened species. 3. Diane’s bare-hearted glass frog iStock Is it just us, or does this frog look like Kermit? There are many different species of glass frogs, but this little guy is a new discovery — the first in Costa Rica since 1973. While its bright green coloring might grab your attention, the coolest part about this frog is that it is see-through. That’s right — the underside is translucent, providing a stunning view of the amphibian’s internal organs. If you want to see one, you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled — these tiny jumpers are less than an inch long. 4. Axolotl, aka Mexican walking fish iStock Is it just us, or does this fish look like a Pokemon?

The axolotl is a small salamander that can be found in various lakes around Mexico City, although it is currently listed as an endangered species. This amphibian can regenerate limbs, has lidless eyes, and can be black or albino. 5. Sun fish iStock The sun fish has the distinction of being the heaviest bony fish in the world — with an adult maxing out at 2 tons. This odd-looking creature (it kind of resembles Sloth from The Goonies) is found in temperate and tropical waters around the world and is considered a delicacy in places like Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. 6. Saiga antelope iStock The Saiga antelope can be found around Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan and is easily recognized thanks to its large and flexible nose. In reality, its gigantic schnoz helps to filter out dust and regulate its blood temperature. In May 2015, more than 120,000 Saiga antelope were found dead. Scientists believe they were victims of a suspected epizootic illness that infected the herd. 7.

Long-horned orb weaver spider iStock This is the type of creature that’s cool to see in photos but you never want to see in your home. The long-horned orb weaver spider has eight eyes and long, horn-looking spines protruding from its abdomen. This particular spider can be found in the forests and fields of Asia. 8. Gharial iStock This isn’t your run-of-the-mill crocodile. This skinny-snouted croc is called a gharial, and it can only be found swimming in the waterways of India. Its long nose is filled with 110 teeth, making it well adapted to catching fish. Scientists estimate that there are only 235 gharials in existence. 9. Red-lipped batfish iStock You can’t put lipstick on a pig, but apparently you can put it on a fish. The red-lipped batfish is found near the Galápagos Islands and looks like it’s wearing the color Dangerous from MAC makeup. In addition to its bright pucker, the fish has a a horn and casually walks along the ocean floor instead of swimming. More from Yahoo! Travel EDGE :: Mammal Species Information New EDGE Fellow: Meet Buuvei!

27th Jun 08 I am happy to welcome our newest EDGE Fellow, Buuvei, who will be researching the saiga antelope in Mongolia. Buuvei sent the following information to introd... Read Evolutionary Distinctiveness Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae The family Bovidae (antelopes, cattle, bison, buffalo, goats and sheep) contains 50 Recent genera and 143 species. Nine subfamilies are recognised. The saiga antelope belongs to the subfamily Antilopinae (gazelles, saiga, springbok, steenbok, dik-dik, and oribi). This subfamily is thought to have diverged from the other bovid subfamilies during the early Miocene, probably as a result of the separation of Africa and Eurasia. Major radiations took place within each bovine tribe during the mid Miocene (15.3-12 million years ago), and again at the end of the Miocene (5.5 million years ago). The saiga lineage diverged during this final major radiation. The saiga is the only surviving representative of its genus.

The closely related Saiga borealis became extinct during the Pleistocene (within the last 2 million years). Description Tail length: 60-120 mm Weight: 26-69 kg The saiga’s most distinctive feature is its large, proboscis-like nose. The nose has a unique internal structure: the bones are greatly developed and convoluted, and the long nostrils contain numerous hairs, glands and mucous tracts. These structures are thought to be adaptations for warming and moistening inhaled air during the winter, filtering out airborne dust during the dry summer migrations, and acting as counter-current heat exchange mechanisms. The fur is woolly, and there is a long fringe of hairs that extends from the chin to the chest. In the summer the coat is relatively sparse, and is a cinnamon-buff colour above and white below, with a white patch on the rump. During the winter the coat becomes much longer and thicker and is uniformly white. Adult males posses a pair of heavily ridged amber coloured horns, which are 203-255 mm in length.

Ecology Saiga are active during the day, and spend much of their time grazing on various species of grass, herbs and shrubs. They have no fixed home range and can travel several dozen kilometres each day. The nominate subspecies undertakes extensive seasonal migrations, moving up to 1,000 km northwards to the steppe areas at the start of the summer to take advantage of the rich grazing, and returning to the southern desert areas in the autumn. The animals remain in desert areas during the winter, as the snow is not so thick and vegetation is relatively plentiful. The mating season extends from December to January. During this time adult males gather groups of around 5-15 females in harems which they defend aggressively from other males. The males fight fiercely and eat very little during the rut, and up to ninety per cent may perish due to exhaustion. The saigas begin to migrate north in large groups at the beginning of April. The females stop en route, gathering in larger numbers to find a suitable place to give birth. The majority of females in the herd give birth to one or, more usually two, young within the space of a single week, overwhelming predators with the sheer number of offspring.

Within a few days of birth the calves are able to travel, and the females break into smaller herds which head northwards to the summer feeding grounds. Here they join the males, and form small groups of around 30-40 animals. Newborns begin to graze at 4-8 days, but not fully weaned until 4 months. Females usually attain sexual maturity at less than a year old, and continue to grow until they are 20 months old. Males can mate at 19-20 months and grow until they reach 24 months. The fact that females mature so early and frequently bear twins enables saigas to expand their populations quickly when conditions permit - in years with a favourable climate the population can increase by up to 60% in a single year. The maximum lifespan of this species in the wild is thought to be 10-12 years, although few animals in a population are likely to survive more than 3.5 years. Habitat The species inhabits open dry steppe grasslands and semi-arid deserts. It is found mainly in flat, open areas with low-growing vegetation, where animals can run quickly to escape predators.

It generally avoids areas of broken terrain and dense vegetation. Distribution The nominate subspecies is found in one location in Russia (steppes of the North-West Precaspian region) and three areas in Kazakhstan (the Ural, Ustiurt and Betpak-dala populations). A proportion of the Ustiurt population migrates south to Uzbekistan and occasionally Turkmenistan in winter. It is extinct in China and southwestern Mongolia. The Mongolian subspecies is found only in western Mongolia. View this species distribution with the Google Earth plug-in Population Estimate The population of the nominate subspecies was estimated to be around 50,000 in 2003, down from around 1,250,000 in the mid-1970s. Most are found in Kazakhstan (decline from about 1,000,000 to 30,000 in 2003). The Mongolian population is estimated at around 1,500. Population Trend The population has undergone a catastrophic decline, with numbers plummeting from more than one million in 1991 to about 30,000 in 2003.

Status Overall the species is classified as Critically Endangered (CR A2a) on the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The nominate subspecies is listed as Critically Endangered (CR A2ad) and the Mongolian subspecies is listed as Endangered (EN A2ad; C1+2a(ii)) . Threats Saiga have long been hunted for their horns, skin and meat. However, during Soviet times the species was subject to an intensive management programme, and populations remained relatively stable. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, legal controls ended and illegal poaching intensified. Males in particular were targeted for their horns, which were seen as an alternative to rhino horn in traditional oriental medicine. The heavy hunting on male saigas has led to severely skewed sex ratios, and problems of reproductive failure through females being unable to breed because they cannot find a mate. This excaberated the severe population crash caused by poaching, and immediate conservation action is required to ensure wild populations do not become extinct within a few years.

Although poaching is the main cause of the species’ decline, it is also at risk in some areas from habitat loss and degradation caused by human encroachment into its habitat, and from the construction of roads and pipelines. Conservation Underway The species is protected nationally in all its range states, and is listed on Appendix II of CITES. The nominate subspecies is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS or the Bonn Convention). However, enforcement is poor in most areas, and poaching remains a major threat. There has been a concerted effort to save the species in recent years, with all range states demonstrating a commitment to saiga conservation. A Memorandum of Understanding and action plan for saiga conservation was drawn up by the Convention on Migratory Species in 2002, and has now been ratified by all the range states; this came into force in September 2006. The Kazakhstan government has provided substantial funding for anti-poaching patrols and aeriel surveys, and has passed legislation strengthening rangers' powers of arrest, while the Russian government has issued a decree for emergency measures for saiga conservation in Kalmykia, and is funding annual population surveys.

These measures are supported by international conservation projects, such as a three-year project being carried out by Imperial College, London, in Kalmykia (Russia) and Ustiurt (Kazakhstan). This project aims to strengthen institutions committed to saiga conservation, particularly the Chernye Zemli Biosphere Reserve, which holds a substantial proportion of the European saiga population. The project also focuses on reproductive factors and fecundity, population monitoring, and education and public awareness programmes. Other conservation projects are being carried out by Flora and Fauna International (FFI) on initiatives to enhance rural livelihoods in Ustiurt, and by WWF to address saiga protection in Kazakhstan. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and WWF-Mongolia currently have conservation projects underway for the Mongolian subspecies. A successful captive breeding herd has been established at the Centre for the Study and Conservation of Wild Animals in Kalmykia. Research into saiga husbandry carried out at this centre can potentially be used to set up similar captive herds in other areas of the species’ range.

Outside of the saiga's range, the Chinese authorities have implemented measures to strengthen internal controls for stocks of legal saiga horn, and have introduced tougher enforcement on illegal imports of horns. Projects With the support of the Wildlife Conservation Network, the SCA has initiated a small grants competition. Conservation Proposed Although extensive conservation programmes are underway, further measures are needed if the species is to survive. Since the animals undertake seasonal migrations from summer pastures in steppe grassland to winter pastures in desert areas, transboundary cooperation and exchange of information is essential. International cooperation is required, with range states working together with regional and national NGOs and local communities to ensure the saiga has a future. Strengthening of anti-poaching efforts and law enforcement, and improvements in livelihhods of rural people are the main conservation measures required. Other recommended conservation measures include the establishment and improvement of protected areas, particularly during the rut and birth periods. A long-term monitoring programme should be established to monitor the status of the population. It is important to continue work with local communities to develop alternative livelihood opportunities in order to decrease poverty and unsustainable use of resources. The Mongolian subspecies is thought to be particularly at risk from extinction due to its small size and restricted range.

Thus, in addition to the above conservation initiatives, a captive breeding centre should be established in Mongolia. Associated EDGE Community members

Question: What sort of creature is a saiga?
Answer: AN ANTELOPE